I started my first real science job, which was my PhD, when I was 24. My PhD was what is called a postgraduate degree- so I went to university for 4 years before this and studied Biochemistry then moved to another university to do my PhD and that’s where I learned to do all the experiments that I do in the job I have now.
I was 23 when I finished my studies and started working in a lab as a scientist and I was 33 when I decided to become a science communicator, which I’ve been doing ever since (I’m nearly 51 years old now). After leaving school at 18 I had another go at getting a better grade in Biology A level (I had to re-sit the exam!) before getting into the University I wanted to go to (Leicester University), then after that between age 22 and 23 I did a Masters degree in neuroscience in London.
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The 10 years I spent working in a lab were fun and rewarding but I began to realise how much more I enjoyed talking about science and writing about it, though I do miss lab life every now and again. I’ve had a nice time working outside the lab including at Diabetes UK where I answered science questions about diabetes, and now (working at Queen Mary University of London) where I write about computing topics, and often the links between computing and other things.
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Jo
Good question… I’m not sure when I started to think of myself as a scientist. I did a science degree at university, but wouldn’t have called myself a scientist at that point. Probably around the time I graduated from university and started my first job was when I “became” a scientist, and I was 22.
Hi Harrison, it depends at what stage you consider yourself a scientist. I have felt like a scientist since I started my Biology degree at University. I’m now in the first year of my PhD so that would make 5 years 🙂
As soon as you start to question the world around you you can start calling yourself a scientist, so in that sense I’ve been a scientist since I was a kid! I finished university when I was 21 and then went onto start my PhD soon after, so you could probably say that’s when I *really* because a scientist
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Mark commented on :
Good question… I’m not sure when I started to think of myself as a scientist. I did a science degree at university, but wouldn’t have called myself a scientist at that point. Probably around the time I graduated from university and started my first job was when I “became” a scientist, and I was 22.
Felicity commented on :
Hi Harrison, it depends at what stage you consider yourself a scientist. I have felt like a scientist since I started my Biology degree at University. I’m now in the first year of my PhD so that would make 5 years 🙂
Chris commented on :
As soon as you start to question the world around you you can start calling yourself a scientist, so in that sense I’ve been a scientist since I was a kid! I finished university when I was 21 and then went onto start my PhD soon after, so you could probably say that’s when I *really* because a scientist